New cracks found in Tihange 2 Belgian nuclear power plant

Seventy new micro-cracks have been discovered in the high-pressure boiler at the aging Tihange 2 nuclear reactor in Belgium, since the last inspection in 2014.

Experts using ultrasonic technology found the new cracks after positioning the camera in a different direction, according to a response from Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon to a parliamentary question from the Green party.

The security of the Tihange nuclear power plant is not in doubt and it will continue to operate, Jambon said.

Lying only 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the German border, the Tihange nuclear power station has long been a target of criticism by German politicians and anti-nuclear campaigners concerned over its safety.

Last year, the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia purchased iodine tablets in case of a nuclear disaster. Continue reading.